Parametrization invariance and the resolution of the unitary gauge puzzle

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 1994 · Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.50.7592· OSTI ID:6786883

Kelly, P F ^[1]; Kobes, R ^[2]; Kunstatter, G ^[3]

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1. Center for Theoretical Physics, Laboratory for Nuclear Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)
2. Laboratoire de Physique Theorique ENSLAPP, BP 110, F-74941 Annecy-le-Vieux (France) Winnipeg Institute for Theoretical Physics Physics Department, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B2E9 (Canada)
3. Winnipeg Institute for Theoretical Physics and Physics Department, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B2E9 (Canada)

We examine the calculation of the critical temperature [ital T][sub [ital c]] for the restoration of a spontaneously broken symmetry. Motivated by a set of recently developed gauge dependence identities, we give a gauge- and parametrization-independent definition of this temperature in terms of the physical mass of the scalar particle as determined by the propagator pole. As an explicit illustration, we consider the Abelian Higgs model in the unitary gauge, where the usual definition of the critical temperature based upon the effective potential leads to an erroneous result. We show how the gauge-invariant definition reproduces the correct result as found in the renormalizable '' parametrizations.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER03069; FC02-94ER40818
• OSTI ID: 6786883
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D (Particles Fields); (United States), Vol. 50:12; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
HIGGS MODEL
SYMMETRY BREAKING
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
GAUGE INVARIANCE
MASS
POTENTIALS
PROPAGATOR
RENORMALIZATION
SCALAR FIELDS
UNITARITY
INVARIANCE PRINCIPLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PARTICLE MODELS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
662110* - General Theory of Particles & Fields- Theory of Fields & Strings- (1992-)
661300 - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)